Heat crept up her neck. Oh, she knew exactly what he meant of course. The only real way to know for sure was if they had sex and she got pregnant right away. Her wolf seemed to like the idea of having a pup, but Julianna wasn’t so keen. The sex part though … that made her core clench.
“Ah, maybe you would like—”
“Shut. Up.” God, she wanted to smack that handsome face. It was a good thing Reed and Elise entered the parlor, as they were introduced to everyone in the room, and, to Julianna’s relief, Kirsten was distracted because she was fawning over Elise, especially after finding out that she was a pregnant with her True Mate’s baby. Finlay handed Julianna and Reed a glass of whiskey and some juice for the expectant mom.
“Don’t you worry, dinner will be ready soon,” Kirsten said. “I bet you must be starving! I was all the time when I was pregnant with my children.”
“I thought she was going to eat me out of house and home,” Callum chuckled. “But, look at my boys. It’s no wonder she was eatin’ so much, eh?”
“Big strapping lads,” Gerald commented. “The lot o’ you. Me boys, too. We grow ’em big here.”
“It’s the genes,” Reed commented, and he gave a sly smile to Elise.
Julianna, meanwhile, winced.
“Don’t worry, dear, it might hurt a wee bit, but it’s all worth it.”
Much to Julianna’s surprise, Kirsten was looking at her. “Excuse me?”
“I mean, when you have your own—”
“Isn’t that food ready yet?” Callum interrupted. “We gotta get our guests fed or they’ll be thinkin’ we’re poor hosts.” He led his mate away, and everyone followed them toward a connecting door on the right side of the room.
God, I just want this night to end. Julianna downed the glass, allowing the smooth, smoky liquid to coat her throat. Wow. She was a vodka girl herself, but that was good whiskey.
“I know what you’re thinkin’,” a rich, velvety voice said in her ear. “And it’s true what they say about kilts.”
She stiffened, feeling a large hand at the small of her back. “What?”
“That we don’t wear anything under it.”
The man was insufferable. “I wasn’t thinking that.”
“But you are now.”
The rough brogue made her shiver involuntarily, and—damn him—did make her think of what was underneath that kilt. As if reading her mind, he let out a throaty laugh and guided her toward the doorway, which led into a small, but elegant dining room. Though she tried to walk away from him and go to the opposite end, his hand snaked around her waist and pulled her toward a chair near the head of the table, then he sat down next to her.
Gritting her teeth, she sat down, not wanting to be rude. This was it, she thought. We’ve only just met, and he was already acting like a possessive jerk. She avoided his gaze, despite the fact that she could feel his eyes boring into her. She was just glad that Mrs. Carter and her staff had come in and begun serving the food.
“This really is the best whiskey I’ve had,” Reed commented as he took a sip of the amber liquid from his glass. “You say you’ve owned this distillery for generations?”
“Aye,” Callum replied. “Maybe two hundred years back. One of my ancestors actually came from another clan and married into Caelkirk, then brought the knowledge of distilling whiskey into the family.”
“The Three Wolves was mostly a small batch distillery,” Finlay added. “But in the last decade or so, demand has been increasing, especially in Asian markets, and we’ve had to expand a lot.”
“Well, I hope I can purchase some,” Reed said. “It’s not too well known in America yet, but I bet with some marketing, you’ll sell well there too.”
“In that case, I’ll give a case or two,” Callum said. “Not many people can appreciate fine whiskey. You must have it in the blood. Maybe you do have a little Scottish in you?”
Reed nearly choked. “I, uh …”
“That’s what we’re here for.” Elise handed her husband a glass of water. “My father spoke with you about Reed and how we were researching his roots.”
“Oh, that’s right.” Kirsten clapped her hands together. “You poor dear. Abandoned as a child in a Yorkshire orphanage. And then those humans adopted you, right? How did you end up in America?”
“My father had a job offer in Canada.” Reed put down the glass of water. “We moved when I was a teen. Then I was visiting the US when I met Elise.”
“And you didn’t know you were a Lycan until then?” Lachlan asked in a curious tone.
Reed shook his head. “It was a surprise.”
Only a few people knew the truth of who Reed was and where he came from. Julianna had heard some of the story that had been crafted to make Reed’s arrival into the modern and Lycan world more believable, but not the entire thing. She had to admit, it was genius saying that his wolf was latent. After all, her own Aunt Alynna had a similar story when she discovered later in life that she was a Lycan.
“I think he kind of looks like the old London Alpha.” Duncan narrowed his eyes at Reed.
“Really?” Reed said smoothly, betraying nothing.
“Yeah. He’s been gone a while, but I remember him having a similar chin. And he also had dark eyes.”
“Maybe you were born on the wrong side of the blanket—ow!” Lachlan threw a dirty look at Roslyn who had hit him in the back of the head. “Fer feck’s sake, Ros! We’re eating.”
“Don’t be so rude, Lachlan.” Roslyn stuck her tongue out at him. “And stop your whinin’. I’m surprised you haven’t developed brain damage, seeing as we’ve all hit you so much.”
“Why do you think he’s a good fighter?” Fraser quipped.
Lachlan puffed up his chest. “You tell ’er.”
“It’s because he likes bein’ beaten up, always has,” Finlay finished, which earned him a dirty look from Lachlan.
“Oh, can’t you all act civilized while we have guests?” Kirsten moaned and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “They’re usually much better behaved when we have people over.”
Finlay and Fraser chuckled, and despite her earlier mood, Julianna found herself smiling. This reminded her a lot of her own family, except that it was usually her and Isabelle fighting.
“Is that smile for me, darlin’?” Duncan was flashing her a teasing smile.
She returned it with a freezing stare. “No.”
“You look so bonny when you’re mad.”
Did he ever give up?
“What—did I get you all tongue-tied?” He leaned forward, reaching over her as if to make a grab for the dish of potatoes on her left, but made sure to brush against her. His scent permeated the small space between them and her wolf went wild.
Stop it, you horny bitch!
“I haven’t even started. Should I show you how I keep my tongue tied up?”
Warmth rushed through her veins, and her wolf was practically sitting up and begging for him. Fucking hell. “Stop it,” she whispered. “You need to get this straight into that thick skull of yours: I’m not your mate.”
He gave her another infuriating smile. “Whatever you say, darlin’.”
Julianna did her best to ignore him for the rest of the meal, instead, concentrating on her food. While he didn’t try to converse with her, he did his best to make sure she never forgot he was beside her, whether that was brushing his thigh against her under the table or “accidentally” ensuring their hands touched when he asked her to pass something his way. Goddamn him, it was maddening, and her wolf and her body reacted to every little touch.
When everyone had finished dessert, Callum invited everyone for a nightcap in the library, but Elise had begged off because she was feeling tired. Reed didn’t look like he wanted to end the night yet, seeing as he really looked like he was enjoying talking to the Alpha. Julianna couldn’t blame him, as he probably was feeling nostalgic, but she also didn’t let the opportunity pass her.
“I’ll take her ups
tairs, Reed,” she volunteered. “You go and have more whiskey. I’m feeling tired myself.” She shot up so fast that her chair scraped loudly. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure she gets into bed safe and sound.” Walking around to their side, she helped Elise get up and practically dragged her out the dining room.
“You know, I’m not that tired,” Elise said wryly.
“Shush, you’re jet lagged and you’re making a Lycan.” She pointed her chin at Elise’s bump. “It’s exhausting. You’re getting sleeeeepy.”
Elise guffawed but also stifled a yawn. “You’re just looking for an excuse to get out of there.”
She neither admitted nor denied it. It’s his fault. Stupid Duncan and his stupid sexy grins. Well, just because he seemed to think they were True Mates didn’t mean she had to fall into that trap. No, she had her own mind, and genes or hormones weren’t going to make her fall for that stupid ass.
Chapter Four
Morning had come too soon, and Julianna groaned as she got up from the bed. Thank goodness the jet lag wasn’t so bad, but the mattress was so comfortable, and she was having the most delicious dream that made her want to stay asleep longer.
Hmmm … what was that dream about? Her sleep-fogged mind could only remember a few details, but she recalled being kissed all over by a warm, firm mouth and then looking down between her legs to see a pair of green eyes—
“Ugh!” The dream came rushing back vividly, and she tossed a pillow clear across the room. Goddamn him, she couldn’t even get any peace in her sleep.
Fine, so she had dreamt that she got a peek under his kilt, but that didn’t mean anything, except maybe she was horny, and it had been too long since she’d had any action down there aside from her vibrator. Pressing her thighs together, she felt the wetness and heat rush between her thighs. Stupid dream.
Deciding against relieving her tension with her fingers, she got up and headed to the bathroom. Callum had requested to meet early because he had a lot of work, so they decided to have a breakfast meeting in his office, just the two of them. Whether it was because the Alpha had seen how uncomfortable she had been at his son’s and family’s attentions or if he really had a packed scheduled, she wasn’t sure, but she was grateful to at least be able to get down to business without having to endure Duncan’s attentions. Soon, though, she would be out of here, and she’d never have to see him again.
Shut up, she told her wolf when it let out an unhappy whine.
Feeling refreshed after her shower, she got dressed and left the room. There was a maid coming out of one of the bedrooms, so she stopped the young lady to ask for directions to Callum’s office. Following her instructions, Julianna went down the same hallway as the dining room but stopped at the first door and knocked. A muffled “come in” came from inside.
“Alpha?” The smell of coffee and freshly-baked pastries were calling to her as soon as she entered. “I—what are you doing here?”
Duncan was sitting in the leather chair behind the large oak desk, grinning at her. “Good mornin’, darlin’. Don’t you look lovely today?”
His velvety voice caressed her skin. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I must have the wrong place. I’m looking for the Alpha’s office.”
Rising from his chair, he walked around the desk and headed straight for her, scratching at his beard as he eyed her. “Oh, I think you’re exactly where you’re s’posed to be. This is the Alpha’s office.”
“Then what are you doing here?” she asked impatiently. “I have a meeting scheduled with your father.”
“Like I said, you’re exactly where you need to be.” He straightened his shoulders. “Unfortunately, we had an incident at one of our facilities up north. Da had to leave early this morning.”
“Seriously?”
“He’s the president of Three Wolves Distillery, so he had to check on this personally.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she tapped her foot. “What time will he be back?”
“Time?” he asked. “He might not be back for a couple of days.”
“A couple of days?” That was bullshit. “I have to leave for London the day after tomorrow.”
“There was a serious accident. A couple of people were hurt.”
“Oh.” Shit. Dammit!
“That’s why he asked me to meet with you.” The corners of his mouth tilted up. “Which isn’t really a hardship, you know.”
“I’m supposed to meet with the Alpha,” she pointed out.
“And I’m his heir, soon to be Alpha.” Gently, he took her by the elbow. “He’s asked me to conduct this meeting. He trusts my judgement. Besides, according to your brother, you’re here to explain the situation to us and then he and my father will decide on the formal alliance.” When she didn’t budge, he trailed his fingers up her arm. “Of course, if you’re willing to stay here longer and wait for him, I’m sure we could find ways to entertain oursel—”
“Fine.” She shrugged his hand away, as the touch sent up unnerving jolts of electricity across her skin. “Let’s get on with it.” Being this close to him was too much. His scent was beckoning to her and her wolf, making her wonder what all that tanned skin would taste like, and motherfucker, her nipples tightened. It was that damn dream from last night.
As he moved back to the chair, Julianna couldn’t help but notice how graceful he moved for a large man. She’d been around shifters her whole life, but Duncan was easily one of the tallest and broadest men she’d ever seen, built much like her brother-in-law Darius, but only an inch or two shorter than Cross. Today, he looked more relaxed in a black T-shirt which showed off the ink he had on his left arm. His powerful thighs were encased in jeans that seemed painted on. God, he was walking sex on a stick and her wolf was going crazy being in this enclosed space with him.
“Julianna, are you all right?” He cocked his head at her.
“Fine,” she snapped. Stop looking at his body! When she focused on his face, it wasn’t much better because her eyes immediately went to his mouth. He must have noticed because he smiled as he flicked his tongue out to lick his lips, and her goddamn clit practically throbbed. Fuck.
Focus on the task at hand, Julianna. He’s just a man. Nothing special about him.
After giving herself a pat on the back for that pep talk, she squared her shoulders. Time to get down to business. Lucas was depending on her, after all. “I’m sure you and your clan know all about the mages.”
He nodded. “Aye, but only from what I’ve read about that unfortunate incident thirty years ago.”
That unfortunate incident, i.e. the Battle of Norway, had nearly killed most of her family, but she didn’t want to digress. “The mages are back.”
“We’ve heard that as well. At least this time, the high council isn’t keeping it from us.”
Back when her father was Alpha, it was the council’s insistence to keep things quiet to prevent panic, not to mention that one of them had been working with their enemies, that had allowed the mages to gain power.
It was after the old council had been disbanded and a few of the bigger clans got together that it was decided the high council was to be run with more transparency. Perhaps they had grown lax because the mages hadn’t shown themselves in three decades, but now since the mages reappeared, the high council was doing their best to spread the word and warn all the clans.
Julianna was just glad they were taking some action because it made her job easier. “And you’ve heard about the attacks in New York?”
“Aye, but not all the details.” He leaned back into his chair. “Tell me what happened.”
Julianna kept her tone neutral and business-like while she relayed the specifics of the initial attacks, up until the last one at Lucas’s ascension, leaving out her time traveling adventure, of course. Duncan, too, had remained impassive, though she couldn’t help but notice his hands curling into fists, particularly when she mentioned the incident in New Jersey when she, Adrianna, and their mother had been surrounde
d by dozens of Lycans who had been working for the mages.
“So, an alliance—”
“Is not even a question,” Duncan said resolutely. “Consider it done.”
A chill blasted across her skin at the power radiating from Duncan. She recognized it—the power of an Alpha wolf. While he technically didn’t have the position yet, it was obvious he would be more than capable when that time came. Damn, if that power and competence didn’t make her admire him. And maybe turned her on, just a little.
Okay, a lot.
Duncan got up and walked over to her side of the table. “I speak on behalf of my father, the Alpha. We will do whatever it takes to stop these mages.”
“Thank you. I—” She frowned as she looked up at him. Her wolf bristled, sensing something wrong. His shoulders seemed tense, and the look on his face—he looked like he was barely holding on to his control. “Are you all right?”
His hands were stiff at his sides. “Julianna, I don’t know how you can sit there calmly and tell me you nearly died twice and not expect me to react.”
“That wasn’t my intention.” And then she sensed it—his wolf and the fury radiating from his animal. He winced, as if feeling it rip him up from the inside. To her surprise, he turned away from her and walked to the window.
She didn’t know what possessed her, but she got up and followed, stopping just a step behind him. In the morning light, his dark blond hair looked like it was streaked with red, and she wondered what it would feel like between her fingers.
“I’m here. There’s nothing to be angry about.” She didn’t know whether she was telling him or his wolf. “I can take care of myself you know. I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember. I work for the Lycan Security Force of my clan.” She was proud of what she had accomplished and all the people she helped.
“Does your job always put you in danger?” He didn’t look at her, but kept his face turned toward the outside.
Highland Wolf Page 5
