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This is a work of fiction. Likenesses to any people, living or dead, is purely coincidental. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please do so through your retailer’s “lend” function. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt portions of the text, please contact the author at [email protected]
Shelter Me, (Sawtooth Shifters, #6) Copyright 2016, Kristen Strassel
Cover Design by Sotia Lazu
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Table of Contents
Copyright Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Thank you!
Shelter Me Chapter One
Other books by Kristen Strassel:
Chapter One
Lyssie
“Oh, hell no.” Kiera, my best friend and roommate, stood in the middle of the living room with her arms crossed against her glittery chest. “You are not sitting home in your pajamas like you don’t have plans on New Years’ Eve.”
“I do have plans. Every New Years’ Eve, I watch the Twilight Zone marathon, eat popcorn, and drink champagne. It’s called tradition.” I smiled sweetly at her and raised my red plastic cup. I’d broken with tradition already. The champagne cork was meant to be popped at midnight. This year I needed an IV hookup.
Kiera rolled her eyes, seeing right through my bullshit. “That’s because you never had plans with a bunch of hot wolves before.”
“You have plans with a hot wolf. I do not.” My next sip was more like a gulp. Anything to erase the pain of the invite that didn’t come. Ever since our alpha-ordered werewolf protective custody courtesy of the Channing brothers ended, I hadn’t seen as much of Dallas as I would’ve liked.
Kiera sat next to me on the couch, pulling the blanket away from my lap and folding it neatly. “Yes, you do. So what? Dallas didn’t hand you an engraved invite—“
“Exactly.” I snatched the blanket back.
“Let me finish. Do you have any idea how he looks at you? No, you don’t, because you’re not giving him a chance. I actually felt bad for him on Christmas. He seemed frustrated, and so sad.”
Now I couldn’t look at Kiera, either. The black and white images on the TV blurred in front of me. “I won’t chase him. I’m sure he has a date.”
“You don’t know that. And so what if he does. Get out of your pajamas, doll yourself up, and come to The Redheaded Stepchild with us. Dallas will forget anyone else is in the room as soon as he sees you. If he doesn’t, make him forget. Let him chase you. Have a little fun with it.”
My heart raced, lungs constricted. The Redheaded Stepchild was the seventh ring of my own personal Hell. Loud, crowded, and I’d be like the fifth wheel if I actually went. Watching everyone kiss at midnight, standing alone, all awkward and shit. Nope, not going. Me and the aliens on TV were going to be a thing tonight and that’s all there was to it.
“No one will leave you by yourself. We’ll all be there. Together. Don’t think of it like a date. Think of it as having fun with your friends.” That was real easy for Kiera to say, since she had a date.
“Maybe another night.”
Kiera got up without saying anything, but I knew she wasn’t giving up. I didn’t know her before we were roommates, but she said she was feeling a lot more like her old self. The person she was before she wound up at CAST, the Center for Anxiety and Stress Therapy. The one who disabled bombs in the army and worked for the Secret Service. Problem was, I was feeling like the girl I was before I went to CAST, too. The one who never left the house and went days without talking to anyone. Worse, that was what I wanted. I was slipping, and it scared the hell out of me. Everyone around me was getting better, and I should’ve been, too. Tonight would magnify my failure. I wished I could’ve told her.
She placed a plastic mailing bag on my lap when she returned. “I planned to give it to you on Christmas, but it came late. I saw it when I ordered this sweater. It’ll look so pretty with your eyes.”
I pulled an aqua top of the bag. It was gorgeous, just the type of thing I would love to wear on New Year’s Eve. If I were going to leave the house. “I love it. Thank you.”
“Try it on. For me. Put some of that sparkly eyeshadow on, you do such a nice job on your makeup. I promise you’ll feel more like going when you’re all dressed up. Then come out with me and let’s show Granger Falls what’s up. If Dallas doesn’t want to kiss you when the ball drops, or whatever happens, I’ll make out with you. And if that doesn’t get the attention of every wolf in the room, then that’s their problem, not ours.”
I laughed. Kiera had a way of making it impossible to say no. It was exactly what I needed. I could get drunk on her enthusiasm if the bubbly hadn’t gone straight to my head. I already alienated Dallas, and the self-destructive devil on my shoulder smirked in victory. I hated that little bitch. But I couldn’t lose Kiera. And it was happening. She was so excited about the house Baron was building for the two of them. I needed to dig my fingernails in and hold on to her with everything I had, or that little devil would take everything.
So I got ready to go out, ignoring the voice inside that taunted me, the one that told me I’d be the only one there alone, that my friends weren’t really my friends, and they’d abandon me, just like everyone else did. The mascara wand shook in my hand, and I was thankful I’d bought the waterproof kind.
“You look hot.” Kiera wolf-whistled when I came in the room. The irony wasn’t lost on me.
“I feel kinda hot.” I really did. The shirt had a draped neckline, loose sleeves, and it came down to my hips. The one pair of jeans I had that I didn’t wear to the shelter fit perfectly underneath it, and I pulled my boots out of the back of my closet. My feet would be killing me by the end of the night, so it was a pretty good thing I planned to keep drinking.
Kiera grinned. “You should feel smokin’ hot. I’m psyched you’re coming. I would’ve dragged you though, just so you know. I couldn’t bear the thought of New Year’s Eve without you.”
And that’s why she was my best friend. She loved me even at my worst. “I know. This year’s been pretty incredible, and we need to send it off in style.”
“There she is! My girl is back,” Kiera said with a little jump. “I knew the shirt would make you feel better.”
I giggled. “It does, but I’m not gonna lie. The champagne is definitely helping.”
Baron, Kiera’s date, knocked on the door before letting himself in. I pushed down the disappointment that he was alone. Dallas was his brother. And I’d chased him away.
Kiera pulled Baron into a kiss, then turned back to me. “I don’t care what does the trick. You know what they say about New Year’s Eve. What you do at midnight is how you’ll spend the rest of the year. Let’s set the night on fire.”
I downed the rest of the champagne in my cup. Liquid courage, keep it coming. “Let’s do it.”
Chapter Two
Dallas
This wasn’t how I planned to spend New
Year’s Eve. At The Redheaded Stepchild. Alone.
I wasn’t by myself; I stared past my brother Shadow as he held hands with his girlfriend, Trina. They framed my vision, making goo goo eyes at each other, giggling between kisses. I needed a beer.
Christmas had ended in chaos in every conceivable manner. The full moon coincided with the holiday, another moon with blood dripping from its surface. Our forest was under siege by wolves from Montana. Their attack was genius. We’d been outmanned and unprepared.
The worst part of it wasn’t X’s ruined body lying in front of the Christmas tree, or that our enemies were getting comfortable thinking our land belonged to them. It was the look of horror on Lyssie’s face when I shifted back to human. To her, I was neither wolf nor man—I was a monster. I couldn’t scrub the destruction from my hands. Her terror, branded on my brain, was the gift I took away from that night.
The woman who brought the animal inside me to life was horrified by it. It wasn’t the first time she’d reacted this way. We’d been fools to think we could take human women as our mates. It didn’t matter what we wanted. Just because something was stupid didn’t make the craving any less insatiable.
Tonight the battleground was The Stepchild. Shadow insisted we come here in a show of unity with the rest of the Sawtooth packs. The Lowe brothers were exempt from their alpha’s order, still caring for X as he healed from the attack. I was second in command, and I would not lose this forest to weakness or stupidity.
I thought the worst was behind us. Not a chance.
“I was hoping I’d see you tonight, Dallas.” A redhead I didn’t recognize sidled up to me. In human form, anyway. Her body heat wrapped around me like a blanket, her earthy scent topped with a fresh forest dew. Christmas night we’d tangled in battle, I pinned her throat to the earth with my paw. Call it holiday spirit, but for some insane reason I showed her mercy. Now here she was, batting fuck-me eyes at me like she’d won the fight.
My breath caught in my chest when she put her hand on top of mine. A fight, fuck, or flight kind of reaction. Her smile left no doubt that a predator had me in her sights.
Shadow’s second demand for the night was to make sure none of our wolves fell to the charms of the Montana she-wolves. Yeah, right. Open bar, Red Heaven, and a chance at a future a stumble away? Every single wolf in this room would be powerless against that siren song.
I leaned toward her, taking a long sip of a fresh, cold beer. I needed to cool the fuck down before I said a word. She was fighting with weapons we’d never seen before. “You came to the wrong place if you’re looking for more blood.” My eyes fell to her cleavage, barely contained in a skimpy tank top. She wasn’t wearing a bra. “Because you’re not going to get it here. I don’t even know your name.”
She smirked like we shared a private joke. It was hers alone. These Montana wolves weren’t right in the head. “I’m glad you asked. We need to get to know each other better. It’s Ember. Ember Randall. And that’s not what I was looking for. I was thinking more of a truce. We need each other, don’t you think? I watched you in the forest. You hate taking orders. You’re dying for more power. But speaking of red things, I hear Red Heaven’s where the fun is in this sad little town. There’s a few things I could show you. Do you know what it’s like to bring a she-wolf to climax while you’re inside her? Feel her body shudder, lose control, and know you did that to her? No, I don’t think you’ve ever been with a real woman before.”
I had to cover my mouth with my hand not to spit beer all over her. This wolf was no lady, but I was more civilized than that. Once the choking threat passed, I put my hand over hers. Bad move. “You have absolutely no idea what I can do.”
“Show me.” Ember pulled her hand away, brushing it against the front of my pants. Her entire being lit up as my body betrayed me. “Red Heaven’s right there. No limits, just pleasure. Let’s usher in the New Year in style.”
“Oh good, I found you.” My brother, Baron, ignored the she-wolf who had crawled under my skin in every conceivable way. “Get your shit together. Lyssie’s here.”
I jumped back, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. “Are you fucking with me? She’d never come here.”
“I’m not done with you, Dallas.” Ember grabbed my arm, and Baron disappeared into the crowd, expecting me to follow.
Maybe she was funny after all. “You never started.” I scoffed.
“Finally, we agree on something.” Ember moved fast, gripping me with the strength of an animal. Only a wolf would lock in like this, fighting for what was theirs. Ember had me where she wanted me. She scraped her teeth along my neck, sinking in at the crook, paralyzing me on impact.
This bitch just fucking marked me.
“There.” She sounded motherly as she pulled the collar of my sweater over the fresh wound, like she was offering comfort, and patted my shoulder. “That’s how you start the New Year off right.”
I never saw Baron come back, but he pulled me away from Ember. “Come on, man. It’s almost midnight. Kiera’s going to kiss Lyssie instead of me if you don’t hurry the fuck up.”
I wasn’t opposed to that option. “You need to get control of your girl.”
Baron narrowed his eyes. “So do you!”
He might as well have punched me in the gut. I was the third born out of four. In most families that didn’t matter, but in a wolf family, it meant everything. Especially if you didn’t like being told what to do. My younger brother was dead, Baron quit the pack, and my oldest brother, Shadow, was alpha now that we’d taken out the old guard. We’d been stuck in captivity for six long months, and everything we knew before had been shattered. Now, we had this new threat to deal with. It made me gun shy about committing to anything but myself.
Ember joined a group of female wolves, laughing and looking back at me. All my life I’d wanted a mate. But not that one. And I wouldn’t be made a fool of.
“Give me a minute,” I said.
“Dal, stop playing games. We’re too old for this.” Baron sighed.
After Baron said he wouldn’t fight anymore, I took everything he said with a grain of salt. Who quit a pack? It gave me more leverage, sort of. I still had to answer to Shadow, but definitely not to Baron.
“There’s no games to play.”
Humans and wolves pushed past me, jockeying for position. I found our group—Lyssie was sandwiched in between Trina and Kiera, the two of them were trying to get her to dance. She moved with them for a couple beats, then covered her face in her hands, shaking with laughter. I caught the glint of the necklace I’d given her for Christmas hanging around her neck.
She’d shut me out after I’d given it to her, and I was so fucking relieved to see her wearing it. I still had a chance. I’d never tell my brother that I needed the beer to calm the butterflies in my stomach.
I didn’t know what to do with a woman like Lyssie. No mating meant no dating. Women like Ember, no problem. We had a primal need for each other than was easy to solve. No, stop thinking like that. The bite didn’t mean anything with no emotion.
But Lyssie needed so much more and it scared the hell out of me.
So far, I’d failed her miserably. I didn’t approach her right away, trying to transition from the Dallas with no future to the guy who wanted one. Lyssie was the breath of fresh air I desperately needed to forget the throbbing on my neck. The antidote. Ember didn’t claim me with a bite. Wolves mated for love.
I got lost in watching Lyssie’s hips sway, imagining her moving like that between my sheets.
“We like them thick, too.” A voice I’d quickly learned to hate shattered my daydream. One of the Montana wolves, wasn’t sure which one in human form. “But she doesn’t belong to you. You’d be a traitor to choose a human over Ember. She’ll help you claim the forest. This girl will cost you everything.”
It took everything I had not to clock this guy. A traitor would betray their pack. I’d never do that. The Montana Wolves had us on the ropes already, taking
the Lowes out of commission. Thanks to them, X would stay a wolf at least until the next full moon. Our weakness fed their power. But the only way they’d lay a finger on Lyssie was after they pried my cold, dead hands away from her.
Lyssie caught my eye, a shy smile spreading across her face. She’d run if she had any idea what was going on.
“I’ll choose the better woman. And I’ll never send her to fight my battles for me like a coward,” I growled, slamming my empty beer bottle on the table. I’d shown way too much of my hand. There’s no way they wouldn’t smell one of their own on me, or the half-circle of blood welling on my neck.
I didn’t give that asshole a second look as I approached the girls. Trina and Kiera kept dancing, reaching for each other over Lyssie’s head and spinning away, giving me the opening I needed.
“I didn’t know you liked to dance.” I slipped my hands around her waist, taking advantage of her shock.
“Me neither.” Lyssie bit her lip, tensing at my touch. Fuck. She looked down at my arm, then flicked her gaze back to me. “You wore the sweater I gave you.”
“Of course I did. It’s the only thing I have as soft as you,” I said. She’d given it to me for Christmas, and her scent was all over it. That’s how those Montana fuckers knew Lyssie was mine. Or the closest thing to it. I should’ve never worn it tonight, but I was glad I did. I caught her chin in my hand so she couldn’t look away. I should’ve done this a long time ago. “We have ten minutes ‘til midnight and I’m done wasting time. Dance with me, Lyssie.”
Lyssie swallowed hard and I thought she’d refuse. “I don’t want to waste time anymore, either,” she said.
We moved to the beat; the tension, everything forgotten as her hips moved in that hypnotizing sway, her fingers curling in my sweater. Taking her by the hips, I pulled her closer, imagining how her skin would feel moving against mine just like this, in a tangle of ruined sheets as the sun rose. A growl slipped from my lips against her cheek. Her head fell back in laughter, exposing the long line of her neck. The sigh that escaped from her lips when I kissed her was enough to bring me to my knees.
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