by Liv Brywood
She whispered, “Someone’s watching us.”
Leah followed her gaze. She fell over laughing. “Figures.”
“What?”
Leah cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed, “Hey, Ryker, why don’t you come down and join us?”
Diana sunk down into the water until only her head stuck out. “Why’s he doing that? It’s so creepy.”
“He’s just watching over us. He likes to go up there and watch over the valley.”
Diana eyed the filthy dress draped over the log. There was no way she could reach it unless he saw her naked. She laughed when she realized how ridiculous her reasoning was. He’d already seen her in the shredded dress and probably in the river too. There really wasn’t much left that he hadn’t seen. She was a little on the chunky side, but she was proud of her curves.
Besides, what difference did it make at this point? She’d be leaving in a few short hours, never to return.
Sadness wove a band around her heart. She’d only been with the werewolves for a few hours, but they were fascinating. She wanted to know more about them. Like how did they manage to live in the woods for hundreds of years without being spotted? She’d heard myths and legends of werewolves but no one actually believed them.
She trudged through the water and stepped onto the shore. She grabbed the dress with every intention of slipping it over her head, but one whiff of the garment and she knew it needed a good dip in the river.
She scanned the rock face as she waded back into the water. There was no sign of him. As she dunked the garment in and out of the water, she smiled and wondered what he thought about her body. Did he like thin, fit women like Leah? Or did he like a woman with a few extra curves?
Leah swam over to her. “I think the dress is shot.”
Diana held the mangled dress up and sighed. She needed something to wear for the trip home. “You don’t happen to have a clean dress in the den, do you?”
“I have pants and a shirt.”
“You’re kidding.”
Leah said, “I go into town sometimes to get the supplies. I’m one of the only wolves in our pack to have lived as a human, so it makes sense to send me. Akila lived as a human for a while too, but we can’t risk losing her, so she stays at the den. I can give you some of the clothes I wear during those trips.”
“How do you pay for the clothes and supplies?”
She shrugged. “I don’t. We try not to take very much, mostly medical supplies for Akila. We can get everything else we need from the land.”
“But that’s stealing.”
Leah crossed her arms under her breasts. “Well, I can’t exactly get a job to pay for everything. I haven’t seen any ‘werewolves wanted’ signs anywhere. Have you?”
Diana shook her head no.
Leah took the dress from her. “We can bury this on the way back. We don’t want other wolves to scent you and come to investigate. Let’s get back to the den. Ryker will be waiting.”
Diana followed Leah out of the river. She’d lost her shoes while running from Zane, so by the time they got back to the den, she was limping from small cuts and bruises.
Back inside the den, Leah led her down the right-hand tunnel. “Walk as quickly as you can and stay quiet. The fewer wolves that see you, the better off we’ll be.”
Diana nodded her head in agreement.
As the tunnel continued deeper into the mountain, it opened into a large room. Wolves of all shapes and colors lay sprawled across the floor. Some lay side by side, while others were tucked into the corners away from the rest of the pack.
Diana slowed her pace. Most of the wolves slept, but a few awakened as she drew nearer and watched her with shimmering eyes. Some seemed mildly curious, while others glared at her.
She wished she could to talk to them so they would know why she was in their den, but Leah turned and motioned for her to hurry up.
Diana caught up with her. “How many wolves are in your pack?”
“About forty.”
“That’s a lot of wolves.”
“Not really. The Phantom Lake Pack has over one hundred wolves.”
Intrigued, Dina asked, “How many other packs live in this area?”
“Three. Ours, the Phantom Lake Pack and the Dark Moon Pack. The Phantom Lake Pack lives around Phantom Lake. It’s a huge lake so it can support a larger pack. The Dark Moon Pack is about the same size as ours. They live up on Howling Mountain where you saw Ryker.”
“Aren’t wolves territorial?”
A deep masculine voice sounded from behind her. “They are.”
Diana spun to find Ryker on her heels. She’d been so engrossed in listening to Leah she hadn’t heard him sneak up from behind.
Ryker’s eyes blazed a trail from her face across her body and all the way to her toes before returning to her eyes. She held her head high during the inspection.
“You look much cleaner.” He sniffed the air. “And smell better too.”
Leah grinned. “Mission accomplished. Like I said, anything you need, I’ll do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Ryker said.
Leah’s silvery laughter echoed down the hall as she left.
“You’ll have to excuse her. She tends to get a little territorial.”
“I asked her but she said she wasn’t your wife.”
Ryker pushed back a curtain and waved for her to enter the room. “She’s not. I don’t have one. Anyway, welcome to my home.”
Diana stepped into the immaculately clean room. The floor looked recently swept and not a single item seemed out of place. A round redwood table and several chairs sat in one corner. She wondered if he held meetings here.
A well-used fire pit took up the center of the room. It had been cleaned out, but charcoal still peppered the bottom.
Situated at the back of the room was a large dais covered in animal pelts and feather-stuffed pillows. Still tired from the ordeal of the last twenty-four hours, she stared at it longingly.
Ryker pulled a chair out from the table. “I brought you some food.”
She sat as he pushed the chair in. “Thank you.”
A platter of meat sat on the table. He skewered a slab of raw meat then offered it to her. She wrinkled her nose. “That’s raw.”
He looked from the stick of meat to her and back. “Oh, right, I forgot that humans prefer to have it cooked.”
“So, you’ve always been a werewolf?”
“I was born a werewolf. I never lived with humans, so I don’t always remember their customs. Like cooking meat.”
He dropped the meat back onto the platter. The wet sound it made when it landed made her stomach churn. She turned away and studied Ryker as he built the fire.
She’d been too afraid to really look at him before now. Flames rose up from the fire and lit up his amber eyes. She wanted to run the tips of her fingers along his strong jawline and brush the back of her hand across the five o’clock shadow on his face. So sexy. She had a weakness for men who had that dark, dangerous look. No wonder he was the alpha.
He squatted on firm, muscular legs. His chiseled stomach clenched as he leaned over to grab more wood. For a second, she imagined his body covering hers. What would it feel like to have him on top of her? Inside of her?
God she wanted a boyfriend. It had been over a year since she’d dumped Steve. A girl had needs and her hormones were making her crazy. Just watching Ryker stoke the fire sent flames of desire licking their way up her body. The molten heat between her thighs made her shift with discomfort. As soon as she got home, she planned on relieving the ache. She just had to hold out a few more hours.
***
The scent of her arousal tested every ounce of strength in Ryker’s body. She already smelled like a clear mountain stream, and with the added essence of pure desire, he could hardly focus.
When the fire reached a foot high, he grabbed the stick of meat from the table. He circled the fire until it was between them. From this va
ntage point, he could drink in each of her sensual curves. He was hyperaware of every move she made. The light from the fire flickered across her body, making him hard. He knew she could see his arousal, but she didn’t look away.
Instead, she met his gaze and held it. He loved the spark of awareness in her eyes. He wanted to carry her to bed, but that was impossible. In a few hours, she’d be leaving the den and he’d never see her again.
“What are you thinking?” she asked in a soft voice.
“I’m trying to decide when we should leave.”
“Oh.” A hint of disappointment flashed across her face but disappeared so fast he wasn’t sure if it was just a trick of the light.
“The meat’s almost ready. I don’t know how hot you want it.” He inwardly cringed. Could he be any more obvious?
In a seductive voice she replied, “Scorching hot.”
Her unwavering gaze melted the last thread of resolve. He stalked toward her. He wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her to bed, but instead, he held the stick out. “Try it.”
She leaned forward and bit off a small piece. Her eyes closed as she moaned with pleasure. “That is amazing.”
He watched her devour the piece of meat. When she finished, she stood and took the stick from him. She laid it on the table then wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For rescuing me, for taking care of my leg, for cooking for me.”
She caressed his back as she spoke. The long, soft strokes enflamed his skin. It tingled all the way down to his toes.
“After tonight, we’ll never see each other again,” she murmured.
He tangled his fingers in her hair and drew her close. Her tongue flicked out to moisten her lips. The puffy bottom lip beckoned, just waiting to be nibbled.
He lowered his mouth and brushed a feathery kiss across her lips. This was madness. He shouldn’t be touching a human. He pulled back slightly, but she cupped the back of his head and pressed her lips against his.
He groaned and deepened the kiss. His tongue slid between her pliant lips to taste her. The tip of his tongue touched hers. She sighed and pressed her breasts against his chest.
He wanted to savor every kiss, every caress because he’d never see her again. At least he’d have something to remember her by when she was gone. He’d only known her for a few hours, but he wished they could have more time together.
She fascinated him. Sometimes she seemed vulnerable enough to shatter into a million pieces, but other times, like when she’d attempted to escape the man who was trying to kill her, she showed immense bravery.
He wanted to know more about her. But rather than dwell on the inevitable loss, he scooped her up and carried her to his bed.
He lay by her side and caressed the curve of her hip. “If you want me to stop, now would be the time.”
“Don’t stop.”
He rolled her onto her back. He leaned over her and spread gentle kisses along the side of her jaw. When he moved to her neck, she moaned and arched into him.
He wanted to go slow, so he laid his palm flat on her belly and took a breath. The musky scent of her arousal swirled up from the juncture of her thighs. His kisses traveled from her neck to the swell of her perfect breasts. He gently stroked her heated flesh until the sound of someone clearing their throat stopped him.
Ryker rolled toward the entrance to his chamber. When he saw who caused the interruption, his annoyance evaporated.
Trent leaned against the door with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Busy?”
Diana sat up quickly and pulled a pelt across her body. “Oh my God this is so embarrassing.”
Ryker slid off the bed and padded across the room. “Do you have news from the tracking party?”
“Yes, but I feel like you have a far more interesting story to tell me.” Trent leaned to one side to look at Diana.
“Did you find out who attacked Gwen?”
Trent nodded. “Her scent led us right to the town. Which reminds me, what the hell is a human doing in the den?”
Ryker glowered at his beta as he backed out of the room. “Wait for me outside. I’ll be right out.”
He returned to Diana. “Trent just got back with the tracking party. Unfortunately, I have to deal with this immediately. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. When I get back, it should be time to take you home.”
“He sounds pissed that I’m here.”
“He’s just agitated from tracking Gwen’s attacker. Don’t worry about it.”
He turned and left the room before he could climb back into bed with her. Giving in to the erotic pull of her pheromones was a terrible mistake. Bringing a human into the den was a mistake too. He needed to get his shit together.
The horrific image of the last human woman he’d loved popped into his head. He’d already saved Diana once and didn’t want to tempt fate by putting her or his tribe in danger. Besides, he didn’t deserve to love anyone. Not after what he’d done.
Chapter 5
Well that was a disaster. Diana fell back against the bed and kicked off the soft pelt she’d used to cover herself. She shouldn’t be entirely disappointed because she knew the severity of the situation, but still, why did Trent have to show up at that exact moment?
She sighed. When they’d walked through this section of the den, there had been enough daylight to be able to see the other wolves. She could spend the last few hours in the den exploring.
She peeked into the hallway. No one was wandering around so she tiptoed out and started farther down the hallway in the opposite direction from where all the wolves were gathered.
She counted the individual rooms that lined both sides of the passageway as she passed. Most doorways were covered with a makeshift curtain, but some were open. She lingered near the ones that were open.
Most consisted of a dais, a fire pit, and other random items. Most had large gourds somewhere in their den.
She’d just turned a sharp corner when she heard a low moan coming from one of the rooms. It wasn’t a sound of pleasure; it was one of pain.
Diana stopped in front of the den, tempted to investigate. She reached for the curtain just as someone bounded down the hall. A wolf rounded the corner and stopped short. It stared at her with shimmering green eyes.
Before she could react, the wolf shifted. Its bones cracked and twisted. The fur shortened and then disappeared into its body.
The shift only lasted about thirty seconds and when it was complete, Akila stood in front of her.
“What are you doing down here?” Akila asked.
“I’m… I was just… curious.”
“You shouldn’t be wandering around. Ryker’s already going to have to explain himself to the wolves that saw you coming back from the river.”
“Why? I thought he was the alpha wolf.”
Akila frowned. “He is. But he’s also the one who made the number one rule in the den. Never allow a human near or in the den.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Of course you didn’t. But he’s going to have to answer to a lot of wolves once word gets around that you’re here.”
“I’m sorry. Ryker left me in his room and I was bored so I just decided to have a look around.”
“Well you can come in with me, but then you’re going back to his room. How’s the leg?”
“It’s healing so fast, it’s amazing. What did you use on it?” Diana asked.
A mischievous smile spread across her face, making the corners of her eyes crinkle. “A little of this and a little of that. I don’t like to give up all my secrets.”
“Leah said you’re more witch than wolf,” she blurted. She wanted to slap her palm across her mouth. She hated it when something flew out of her mouth before she knew what she was saying.
Akila chuckled. “You throw a poultice and some healing herbs on a wound and suddenly you’re a witch. Some things never change.”
Relie
ved that Akila didn’t get mad at her, Diana relaxed slightly.
Akila gave her a funny look. “Ryker sure as heck marked you while you were with him.”
Diana blushed. She guessed it made sense that they all had heightened scent detection, but she wished his scent wasn’t all over her body. Akila probably thought she was a total slut.
Akila waved a hand through the air. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me. Well, and anyone else you walk past right now.”
“But nothing happened.”
Akila gave her a look that said she knew Diana was lying, but she didn’t pursue the issue. Another long groan came from within the room.
“Come in with me. You can make yourself useful.”
Diana followed Akila into the room. A young woman who looked to be in her early twenties lay on a bed. She writhed on the bed, shoving pelts onto the floor. Her eyes were closed.
“Gwen’s having another nightmare.”
Angry red slashes cut across the woman’s back. Black and blue bruises marred her skin. Sweat matted her short blonde hair to her face.
“No. Please, stop.”
Gwen screamed and sat up straight. She folded her legs up and wrapped her arms around them. Her gazed darted around the room as she cringed against the wall.
Akila spoke to her in a soothing voice “It’s all right Gwen. You’re home. No one can hurt you now.”
The woman stared at them with huge eyes. She pointed to Diana. “Who’s that?”
“Diana. Ryker found her being attacked by a man last night. He saved her and brought her back to the den for the day.”
Diana said, “He’s taking me home tonight.”
Gwen studied her. “Who attacked you?”
“Zane. A total psycho I went on a date with. Some people say internet dating is safe, but that’s just not true. I should have listened to my sister and met him instead of—” She realized she was rambling and stopped. What happened to her was nothing compared to what this woman apparently endured.
Gwen stared at her but didn’t say anything.
